Marquette Public Hearing to address Local Development Finance Authority boundaries

Earlier this week, notices were sent out to taxpayers regarding an upcoming Marquette City Commission public hearing.

Officials say the hearing will explore the possibility of expanding the boundaries of Marquette’s Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) to encompass the entire city. The LDFA is a State-recognized mechanism that local units of government can utilize for creating jobs and increasing the tax base. In 1988, the City of Marquette created its current LDFA and established the boundaries to include only the River Park Complex on the city’s north side. The State allows a municipality to have only one LDFA.

Marquette’s Chief Financial Officer, Gary Simpson, wants to reiterate to the public that the expansion is not going to raise property taxes or fees, and will not increase the city’s physical boundaries. Instead, it will expand the LDFA’s boundaries, allowing the city to better position itself for special funding opportunities like SmartZones, which are geared toward bringing in high tech jobs. Simpson says the current boundary would not allow the city to qualify for those programs.

The public hearing is scheduled for Monday, April 28th at 7:00 p.m in the City Commission Chambers inside City Hall.